Couple Arrested for Refusing to Pay Tip

[Jenvenza]

I'm always late to the good threads.

 

[DarthKTrava]

I'm not sure how many of you know how waitress declare there tips. It goes by your total sales at the end of your shift, If you don't leave someone a tip then they have to make up the difference themselves, because they still have to declare enough that match there sales totals, so when you don't leave a tip you are taking money out of the servers pocket.

If their service isn't worth a tip, then they deserve it.

 

[DarthKTrava]

Are you joking me C Ann this lady isn't a great tipper, she thinks it okay not to leave a tip if the server isn't Johnny on the spot any mistakes and there goes the tip. This poster give off the impression that server are just below pond scum on the totom pole.

And that the person quoted thinks they're the best server out there?

 

[CathrynRose]

If their service isn't worth a tip, then they deserve it.

You're right. If a server isn't up to par, you should steal from them!!!!

 

[BeachGirlFLA]

I posted about the one time I stiffed a waiter (when the service was truly abysmal) but I also want to say that I have had wonderful waitstaff and bartenders at the past. Just last night, I had a bartender at my favorite place who knew I loved the peanut butter and chocolate pie that she and her mother make (her father owns the restaurant so they sell it there) and she made me a Mudslide with Caramel Bailey's, a Reese's cup blended into the drink, and one sitting on top (she actually used her own Reese's cups to do this for me.) Special servers who do things like that for me also get tipped in proportion to what they do for me and if I go there one night and the bar is busy, it's fine with me if my boyfriend and I have to wait for our drinks while she serves the people who aren't there almost every night. Servers like that EARN their tips and they also EARN that level of respect.

 

[DarthKTrava]

You're right. If a server isn't up to par, you should steal from them!!!!

You said it. I didn't. I just mean that they should be the one paying the money if they can't provide good enough service to earn it in tips...

 

[disneyfav4ever]

I think we just not hearing the whole story. As this were students I think there a lot more than just bad service.

I don't agree at all, age has nothing to do with how much someone tips. I have always been a good tipper, including when I was in school, so IMO that is just not a valid argument at all.

 

[DarthKTrava]

I once gave a waiter a $5 tip (for a $12 comped breakfast at a Marriott hotel) because he was apologetic for the busser to keep bussing my table each time I went to the buffet bar for a new helping.... I'd come back each time to find the table cleaned and reset for a new customer...

It wasn't his fault and he deserved the tip. The busman however got an earful from the manager for his "overeagerness to clear the table"....

 

[Scurvy]

Everything is the server's fault. If the food is bad, it's the server's fault. If the dishwasher left a dirty spot on a plate, it's the server's fault. If the cook doesn't notice that there is a spot on the dish and puts the food there anyway, it is the server's fault. If the sun is shining through the window and annoys the customer, it is the server's fault. If the rain got the customers wet on their way in from car, it is the server's fault. That is the nature of the tipping system, which causes all kinds of problems. The cook is guaranteed his pay so he doesn't care if the customer doesn't like the food and will mess up future orders for any server giving him any grief about something that is the kitchen crews' fault.

I don't know what happened in this particular case, but restaurants' ability to attract good servers depends upon the income that servers can get from tips so restaurants are getting eager to make sure that their servers get tipped. It's a lousy system, but what is the alternative? If a customer doesn't like a salesperson on commission, the salesperson still gets the commission. How many people refusing to leave a tip in a restaurant have complained to get a salesman's commission removed from the price of an item? How is that different?

The examples you gave are not the server's fault, but the way the server reacts to the problems are the things I base my tip on. If the server never swings by to see if the food is okay, I won't be happy and I won't tip well. On the other hand I've tipped before after getting food that was raw in the middle because the server handled the situation so well. I've sat for 20 minutes waiting for the server to acknowledge me as she rushed back and forth to the other tables. Other times I've had to wait that long, but the server stopped by long enough to say she was sorry for the wait and would be back soon. You can guess which one got the better tip. To me, the communication is the most important thing. If the server is doing the best she can and acknowledges it when there's a problem or an excessively long wait, I'll be happy with the service even if I'm not happy with the food or restaurant. But an inattentive server who doesn't communicate is not going to get a good tip from me even if the restaurant and food are great.

It takes quite a bit for me to feel the need to leave a bad tip, or to leave no tip at all. However, until tips are replaced with "service charges" and made manditory, I am not going to feel obligated to leave a generous tip (or any tip, for that matter) for sub-par service.

Some of us do make sure that bad salespeople don't get commisions from us. I've left places in order to buy something elsewhere just so the salesperson didn't get a commision from me, even though it was much less convenient for me to do so. (This isn't something I do lightly, but I have before and I would again if the situation seemed to call for it.)

 

[Becky2005]

I don't think not refill one drink makes someone a bad server

I'm so trying to comprehend this...maybe I just don't go to upscale enough places (more true than not I'm sure) but how the heck am I supposed to get my drink refilled if the server doesn't do it???????????????

Most places I go to, I would have to get up & go back into the kitchen area which I'm pretty sure they frown upon patrons doing to get a refill.

Then again, when I worked as a waitress eons ago, we didn't have bus boys & hostesses where I worked. We also counted our tips at the end of the night, wrote it down on a piece of paper & handed it to the manager. We did have a cook though. This was at Colonial. We also had to do the clean up after the store closed. It did make a great way to get a car. My parents magically got me a car the time after we I didn't get out of there until 1 AM, I think we closed at 11. They decided they didn't want to wait that long anymore. I was 16 when I had that job.

 

[dbriggsq]

I've said it before and I'll say it again - I think the whole 'tipping' culture is completely outdated and oldfashioned in a modern society. It maintains a 'master/servant' relationship when we should be looking for a 'client/professional' relationship.

We live in the UK and have just returned from a 2 week trip to Florida and we both noted how a lot of patrons in restaurants treat servers quite badly - barely even looking up to say thank you when food is presented and being quite demanding. These 2 comments show both sides of the relationship.

Yes--the whole point of stiffing a server is to teach them a lesson.

Originally Posted by CathrynRose
Because we are the only ones who know and have experienced how hard it is, how it is looked down upon and how absolutely foul people can be to us.

I'm 36 and been in an office environment for 10 years, now. I can tell you I've never seen any of my office workers, cry. HOWEVER, I have seen each and every single one of my female servers, break down after a customer was just plain ugly, to them.

It surely is time that restaurant workers were paid a proper wage and treated like professionals - I don't believe service would suffer - the management should be able to make sure their staff did a good job.

Yes restaurants can charge a service charge - but I think this should be per head and not a percentage of the spend - why should it cost more to serve expensive food than cheaper food - or pull the cork out of a $50 wine than a $30.

I believe that in New Zealand tipping is still very rare and only ever for exceptional service - my Aunt in NZ tells me that eating out is a pleasure.

 

[Free4Life11]

Walk up to the bar and ask for a refill. Ever been to Chili's, Applebees, Fridays? They've all got a bar.

 

[Free4Life11]

The thing is - I read an article that says they DID comp items off the check.

Which would actually make more sense with the 21% gratuity. My theory? It wasn't 21% gratuity - it was 18%, but on the WHOLE check - pre-comped meals. KWIM?

Actually this sounds reasonable to me. My guess is the couple who complained had their entrees removed from the bill, but the system is not set up to re-calculate the gratuity. $73 just seems too small of a bill for 8 people

 

[a1tinkfans]

Obviously not a "bright" business owner or should I say, delegator (his bartender who called Police) what fools! I know I would NEVER patronize the place. CRAZY way to DRUM up business.........
As far as the TIP goes, it is usually STATED on the menu and posted when they automatically add it to groups of a certain size. So, in fairness, they did NOT pay the full bill.
Meanwhile, judge will likely throw it out, another waste of court time.....I think business should be ashamed!!

 

[ogreenlee]

the reviews for this place before this story broke out wasn't good, and now they're getting hammered. lol

right or wrong, the pub owner is an idiot.

 

[Becky2005]

Walk up to the bar and ask for a refill. Ever been to Chili's, Applebees, Fridays? They've all got a bar.

That's my problem. I don't go to places with bars very often. Cracker Barrel, Colonial, IHOP, mom & pop type places....none of the ones I go to have a bar. They have the pop machine behind the counter (or I'm assuming their is one hidden behind the kitchen door at Cracker Barrel but if you order Root Beer, it's going to come in a bottle -- I suppose you could get up & go to the store part and just snag yourself another one! ). It would never occur to me to go up & get my own drink though if I'm eating someplace that has a server, even if the place did have a bar. I would have assumed it was the servers job to get it since they usually ask "Can I get you something to drink?" to start with, I just go with the concept they will get me another one when I need it. I learn something new every day.

I'm thinking there is probably more to the story but who know, truth usually ends up being bizarre a lot of times.

 

[N.Bailey]

I bet the people who wait on you wish you did go to McDonalds I want to know how you know the server didn't let them know about delays, being a server for many many years, I know a little about how resturants run I don't think we are hearing the whole story about this incident, If the police arrested them there was more to the story then this. I don't know any manager who wouldn't have taken it off, I know that sometimes waitress get busy and don't get drinks filled the second you empty them, sometimes the forget silverware. BIG DEAL I have never meet a server who wouldn't bring them as soon as you ask, You expect for server to be perfect and never make mistakes, I can't image stiffing a server they would have to spit on my face and call me every name in the book and then some, for me not to leave them something

You're not the only one who has worked in a restaurant. Since this is a line of work a lot of college students utilize, I believe there are a heck of a lot of people out there who have done the job.

I'll stick up for the rights of waitstaff to be tipped everyday of the week. I will NOT however stand up for those rights for anyone who hasn't fulfilled that obligation to feel they DESERVE that tip.

You say we don't know the whole story. Well, we probably don't, but we are basing our opinions on what is known. You've got the back of the waitstaff based on the fact that there is probably more unknowns? Sorry, I'll work off the facts any day of the week. There is a likelihood that this server did not deserve that tip.

Regardless however, that's not really relevant. A gratuity is a gift. If restaurants want to mandate people leave X amount of dollars, they can raise the menu prices 18% and then raise the staffs wages to fall inline with that and then put on the menu, NO TIPPING. That would be the LEGAL way to get around it.

In '03, a New York court ruled that a gratuity is a gift and as such cannot not be mandatory. I fully believe the PA courts will rule in the same manner (with the NY case being cited). If the wording is stated that it's a service charge it may be a different ballgame. I did look last night and from all I read, it appeared to be worded as a gratuity on this menu. If it would be worded as a service charge, that would make it the property of the business and not the waitstaff. I think a strong case could be made that fraud is being committed on the part of the establishment to mandate tipping (when courts have ruled that's not legal).

 

[N.Bailey]

I'm not sure how many of you know how waitress declare there tips. It goes by your total sales at the end of your shift, If you don't leave someone a tip then they have to make up the difference themselves, because they still have to declare enough that match there sales totals, so when you don't leave a tip you are taking money out of the servers pocket.

Yes, when I waited tables, that was 8% of sales, not 18%.

You're fighting a lost cause. If you want a tip, work for it. Don't simply demand it because you feel entitled. I waited tables for 12 years, yes, I have somewhat of a clue.

 

[cheermom1]

you know this whole debate on to tip or not tip is rather STUPID -

this is simple the tip should be earned and not demanded otherwise it is NOT a tip!!!

i have been a waitress for quite some time when i was younger fyi...


this is the problem now a days everyone demands things like they are entitled to it somehow without earning a thing!

this arresting this poor couple was stupid weather the waitress earned her tip or not it was stupid and a waste...

 

[Plannin'Shannon]

You're fighting a lost cause. If you want a tip, work for it. Don't simply demand it because you feel entitled. I waited tables for 12 years, yes, I have somewhat of a clue.